Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
You’ve got questions…
We’ve got answers!
Happy Thanksgiving!
And since this edition of Living Well Daily is coming to you on the most gluttonous day of the year, we thought we would share two natural ways to ease your indigestion.
Let’s get started…
Hi Natalie,
I’ve heard that some pantry items can help with indigestion. My brother Jesse says that mustard and baking soda work really well for heartburn and upset stomach. Do you know if this is true? If so, how do I use them?
Thanks,
Randy K.
Thanks for the question, Randy.
Yes, your brother is correct – baking soda and mustard both help fight indigestion and heartburn.
If you’ve ever experienced the pain, discomfort and tightness of heartburn, you’ll likely never forget it. This torturous, burning sensation happens when stomach acid invades your esophagus.
To put out the flame, you need to neutralize the acid. Stomach acid has a low pH. Therefore, ingesting something with a higher pH will help neutralize the acid and keep your retching heartburn at bay.
That’s where mustard and baking soda come in.
Both of these pantry staples are able to neutralize stomach acid and even prevent your stomach from making more acid. These two powers help stop your heartburn and keep it from getting worse.
However, of the two, mustard might be the better choice.
Besides it’s pH balancing powers, mustard also contains minerals like zinc, iron, magnesium, niacin, and calcium that may promote better digestion and help to prevent heartburn. In addition, most prepared mustards have vinegar in them, which can help for quicker digestion.
The best way to take mustard for indigestion is straight without a chaser. Two teaspoons should do the trick for tummy troubles. (You can always rinse your mouth with water if the taste is too intense.)
That being said, if you want to avoid taking mustard shots after your turkey dinner, baking soda is your best bet. Just like mustard, it can cut the acid quickly but just doesn’t have the bonus minerals (or flavor).
Simply add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to an 8oz glass of freshly filtered water, mix, and drink. Repeat once if needed.
If you want to add some minerals to your baking soda cocktail, simply use water that’s been filtered with a Turapür system. Turapür filters add minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium to your water while removing nasty tastes and odors. Click here to discover more about Turapür.
Do you have any health questions you want answered? Drop me a line nmoore@lfb.org
Live well,
Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: nmoore@lfb.org – and click here to like us on Facebook.
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